Chinese travel agents explore West Coast

For many of the participants, it was their first time visiting the region they’ve long promoted to Chinese travellers.

“The post-TRENZ Chinese famil trip to New Zealand’s Untamed West Coast was a resounding success,” said Taylor Tian, DWC’s Tourism Executive for the China Market.

“From rugged coastlines to lush rainforests and authentic local encounters, this immersive journey showcased the West Coast’s unique allure.”

He said the famil offered an invaluable platform for local operators to showcase their experiences, receive direct feedback, and build lasting relationships with key Chinese travel buyers.

DWC said famil trips like this are an important part of rebuilding the region’s presence in the Chinese market.

According to the latest data from Infometrics, Chinese visitors contributed $10.8 million to the West Coast economy in the year to March 2025. While numbers are steadily recovering post-pandemic, this is still well below pre-COVID levels - Chinese visitors spent $27.6 million on the Coast in the year to March 2019.